Matrix

Although I noticed the similarities between the Matrix and philosophy before watching the Matrix Reloaded and doing a little research I found out things I had never noticed before. I had previously noticed the parallels between, Socrates visit to the Oracle of Delphi, Plato’s allegory of the cave and even a obvious influence from Karl Marx but I hadn’t been fully aware of its mention of Descartes and the overall feel of Empedocles it has.

            The first thing I was surprised to learn was that in the original Matrix Neo actually hides illegal software inside of philosopher Jean Baudrillard’s book Simulacra and Simulation. I have no yet read this but from the information I’ve gathered it describes mankind living in a world where simulations of reality have become the definition of real rather than reality itself. I later discovered that when Morpheus shows Neo the real world by bringing him to “the desert of the real” which is from the first page of Baudrillard’s book. This began to make sense when I learned that Baudrillard who I wasn’t familiar with was said to be a philosophical influence to Karl Marx. Marx understanding of an ignorant working class  is seen in the overall feel of the divide between the real world as Neo once knew it in comparison to the real world he know understands. While he is struggling to understand the real world that he know knows Morpheus takes Neo the meet the Oracle. This is much like Socrates’ visit to the Oracle of Delphi. Neo like Socrates said that he knew nothing and was showed a sign in Latin reading “Know Thyself”. He later uses this to fully free himself from the control of the Matrix.

            Neo is freedom from Plaro’s allegory of the cave when he sees the real world for the first time discovering that everything he once knew to be fact was simply an illusion. This leads to Neo later discovering powers, which he uses to make him “superman” like in the Matrix Reloaded. I believe this is Descartes’ ideas being put to use. Once Neo realizes that the world he is visiting is not real he does not let any preconceived notions limit him. He is able to defy the laws of the Matrix because he understands that they do not apply to him. This assignment actually made me like the movies more than I already did.